Tuna Sandwiches and Sisterchicks

Loveys, when I was a girl, my mother always made us tuna sandwiches with apple. Everyone else's mom seemed to make tuna with pickles. In fact, other than Sara and Laura, I know of no other people whose moms made tuna and apple sandwiches. But in the Brumble house, my mom would whip up tuna sandwiches, throwing in diced apple and mayo. And I love them. Maybe it's one of those things that you like what you know. You grow up eating your mom's style of oatmeal. Your mom's style of chili. And your mom's style of tuna sandwiches.

This afternoon, I didn't have an apple so I had to use pickles for my tuna sandwich. But I had this moment of remembering all the times my mom made me tuna and apple sandwiches. And I wonder if part of my love for those sandwiches is just the thought of my mom making them. (And with my picky eaters, I wonder if I'll ever convince Ash and Linc to try them! I have not succeeded with the Jeffster.)

I seem to make more sandwiches during the summertime. I suppose it's because we're packing up lunches for park dates and pool dates. I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by. We're about ten seconds from August! Good grief. Fall will be here. And while I'm a huge fan of fall, I want these summer days to last as long as possible.

My best friend and I had a phone date last night to catch up. It's been probably a couple of months since we talked and there was a lot of ground to cover. Sometimes we have to schedule out time for us to talk! But we've been each other's person for long enough to know what works for our friendship. That's one thing I love about Michelle. It's so easy for me to be her friend. She's laid back. She's easy going. She's more apt to listen than to give advice. She cares in a deep quiet way that I trust. She's been linked to my heart since before middle school. (Come to think of it, she might have been served tuna and apple sandwiches at my house a time or two.)

This summer, as you know, I spent some time reading Shauna Niequist's book Bread and Wine and I loved it. So right up my alley. I also decided to re-read some of Robin Gunn's books. For two reasons, I love Robin's books and her writing almost always inspires me to want to write, which I need to be doing since I have a book due in November. (We'll interrupt this thought for a quick moment for me to reiterate that I love Robin Jones Gunn and share a picture for you of me and Robin. BFFs, obvy.)

Back to what I've been reading. I started going through Robin's Sisterchick's series. If you've never read these books, and you like travel, you should totally read them. I've been taking summer vacays vicariously through Robin's writing this summer. Each book has two girlfriends taking an amazing trip together for whatever reason. I finished reading Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes today and I thought about Michelle. I fully intend for us to take an amazing trip together (once our kids are older and don't need us every second of our lives).

I've been blessed with some great girlfriends in my life. Not to mention my sisters, who are my very best friends and the loves of my life. What about you? Do you have some special sisterchicks in your life? If you, like me, do not find yourself at any exotic locations this summer but would like to dream, check out Robin's series. Or maybe turn an ordinary experience into something memorable. Have a girls' night at your house. Go out for dinner one night with the women in your life. Have afternoon tea.

Michelle told me last night that she might need a quick trip to Colorado sometime in the future and my immediate answer was, "ANYTIME. You don't even have to tell me you're coming. Just let me know what time to meet you at the airport." That's how it is with us. It's a drop-everything, break-glass-when-needed kind of relationship. There are things I've learned from Michelle. Things I'm still learning. I want to be an easy friend like her. I want to be a good listener like her. I want to make her feel the way she makes me feel, which is and always has been accepted.

Be a sisterchick to the women around you, lovey. And maybe try some apple in your tuna. ;)

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About Me

Brandy Bruce is the author of Looks Like Love, The Romano Family Collection, and the award-winning novel The Last Summer. She's worked in the publishing industry as a book editor for more than a decade. Brandy is a wife, a mother to three amazing children, and she's someone who really loves dessert. Stop by any time to hear about life, love, motherhood, writing, books, and more!